Pendleton going for gold

Victoria Pendleton moved a step closer to completing a successful defence of her women's sprint title at the Track Cycling World Championships in Pruszkow, Poland on Saturday.

The 28-year-old from Stotfold, Bedfordshire, who won bronze in the 500 metres time-trial on day one and women's team sprint silver alongside Shanaze Reade on day two, was untroubled in qualifying for the semi-finals.

Olympic champion Pendleton won her opening last-four race with Olga Panarina of Belarus by the width of a tyre before completing a best-of-three knockout success 2-0 to progress to the final.

Holland's Willy Kanis will meet Pendleton in the battle for gold after a 2-0 defeat of 500m time-trial champion Simona Krupeckaite of Lithuania.